tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post727746621095519035..comments2024-03-29T05:43:36.177-04:00Comments on Doux Reviews: The Flash: The Flash Is BornBillie Douxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17141769005175631213noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-84143911214683382862017-03-22T12:16:45.460-04:002017-03-22T12:16:45.460-04:00Sillyrabbit -
I didn't like the Wall of Weir...Sillyrabbit - <br /><br />I didn't like the Wall of Weird either and didn't watch Supernatural. I thought Chloe was another character who was badly written, which is kind of my point in this review and why Iris reminded me of Chloe. <br /><br />I'm very sensitive to how people of color and people with disabilities are portrayed in the media. I couldn't deal with how Glee portrayed other Deaf people, and had to stop watching that despite my love of musicals. Writers come up with these great and trendy ideas, but followthrough is important. I love reinventing comics. I think things come to life when they're reinvented. But just setting up the game pieces isn't enough for a compelling, convincing story. <br /><br />Iris wasn't trying to find a pattern with her blogging - she was sensationally obsessed with blogging the Streak in the beginning and actually had to learn to broaden her horizons somewhat to lose her saccharine worldview and be a real reporter. <br /><br />Now is this me misogynistic and racist for pointing out this portrayal, or is it a bunch of writers who are mostly white struggling to portray a balanced healthy Black woman with a career and life goals who isn't overshadowed by her absurdly overpowered brother-slash-boyfriend, who is somehow a fully-educated CSI specialist whilst Iris, supposedly the same age, is an unemployed blogger? Compare this to how the show portrays Joe as a complex and nuanced character or how the Night Nurse is portrayed on Netflix. If Iris was on the same show as Claire Temple she'd be schooled in human relationships. Personally, I appreciated the decision to change the character's race as a new approach to the comics series but don't think it's entirely worked out. <br /><br />As a Puerto Rican, I have issues with how Cisco is portrayed on this show for the same reason. These characters aren't real, but I want them treated realistically. <br /><br />At the same time I want to recognize this comment and the context it's made in. Characters like Riri Williams and Kate Kane have come forward and revolutionized comics and there IS a lot of white male blowback (WHAT? You can't make them X color! You can't give them X hair!) I appreciate that and oppose it where necessary. But that's not my motivation behind critiquing how Iris is written. Later, in Season Three, I think the authors are finally getting a handle on her, but it's still hit or miss, and I struggle to see them develop Iris consistently. I won't get into the future, but I remember even in this episode I worried she never gets beyond being a vaguely defined romantic interest.<br /><br />Joseph (JRS)http://douxreviews.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-58923080223717974422017-03-03T04:07:31.922-05:002017-03-03T04:07:31.922-05:00This review and the comments to this article are e...This review and the comments to this article are examples of the misogynoir (anti-blacknesss & misogyny) that pervade fandom and that CP & Iris have faced since the instant the casting of this character has been announced.<br /><br />There's not much difference between Iris's blog and Chloe Sullivan's wall of weird and her dogged pursuit of finding her best friend's secret. In fact, while Iris is simply reporting on events that are happening, and trying to find a pattern, Chloe's actions tended to be more invasive, and more based on her crush/obsession with Clark. <br /><br />Just because the men in her life want to infantilize and gaslight Iris does not mean that we (the audience) are supposed to agree with that narrative. Her actions where Tony were concerned are coded as brave & useful because her blog didn't so much expose her to danger but it drew him out in a way nothing else was likely too. (Also this review and the commenters have skipped the part where it was made very obvious that more than half of Tony's fascination with Iris's blog was due to *Iris* herself, and his twisted little crush on her. It's very likely that blog or no blog, he'd have been sniffing around her now that he had powers to "show off". Her blog just added to his jealousy/rivalry of the Flash because Iris was writing about the Flash, not him). <br /><br />What puts Iris in danger is the fact that Barry and her father are keeping secrets from her. In the end, she quits her relationship with the Flash when he proves dangerous to her and her loved ones (Eddie) when he takes information she gave him (about Eddie wanting a task force against him) and possibly his palpable attraction towards her, as a reason to attack Eddie.<br /><br />TL DR… But this review/ most of the comments definitely point to a problem with the Iris character but the problem isn't the portrayal - it's the willingness of the audience to receive it. sillyrabbithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03972244937503286420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-83014438320405076582016-12-05T19:40:42.630-05:002016-12-05T19:40:42.630-05:00I am not crazy about Iris either - but her father ...I am not crazy about Iris either - but her father and Barry Allen are both lying to her. They are also putting themselves in danger all the time, so it seems hypocritical to tell her not to do something because of that. Especially when she has a mean right hook.<br /><br />Finally, how can a superhero expect to go unnoticed? Even if he is super-fast?<br /><br />Really want to find out more about Wells!Victoria Grossackhttp://www.tapestryofbronze.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-36064752987207746382015-11-15T20:29:52.958-05:002015-11-15T20:29:52.958-05:00Did anyone else notice Iris's monologue via he...Did anyone else notice Iris's monologue via her blog exactly quoted part of the opening of the pilot? They both said "To understand what I'm about to tell you, you need to do something first. You need to believe in the impossible. Can you do that? Good." As annoying as Iris can get, I'm glad they threw that in to show why she and Barry are so close.<br />Mariannahttp://www.mariannahorn.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-90624002522723191672014-12-18T18:17:03.956-05:002014-12-18T18:17:03.956-05:00Josie, this being a DC Universe show, I doubt othe...Josie, this being a DC Universe show, I doubt other DC properties like Superman exist as fiction to these characters, but I'm sure they live in a world where comic books exist. On Smallville for example, there was a made-up comic called Warrior Angel that Lex loved when he was a kid. They probably have similar stuff in the Flash/Arrow-verse.Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03943327351499919454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-86143798435712091202014-11-29T22:13:16.606-05:002014-11-29T22:13:16.606-05:00I've got a really stupid question: do superher...I've got a really stupid question: do superhero stories--the comics, the movies, etc.--exist in this universe? <br /><br />When Dr. Wells said "a man of steel," it was the perfect opportunity for a Superman joke. Cisco could have made one. But he didn't, which makes me wonder if Superman stories don't exist in this world.<br /><br />But then, if so, how does everyone know that a cool super-human (or meta-human, whatever) needs a cool name? Josie Kafkahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17892717530356699008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-33771276700899431472014-11-22T15:30:25.453-05:002014-11-22T15:30:25.453-05:00The Flash is turning into the metahuman of the wee...The Flash is turning into the metahuman of the week. That is dangerous for a show and could get old very fast.russell1256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-48847027226315646962014-11-22T13:30:26.786-05:002014-11-22T13:30:26.786-05:00The Wells-West material was definitely great, and ...The Wells-West material was definitely great, and the supersonic punch was fun, but, as you all note, Iris continues to be a big problem.<br /><br />Do they <i>want</i> us to dislike Iris? Because they really doubled down on reasons to not like her this week. They gave us her annoying insistence on maintaining her blog, even after being presented with ample evidence that it does, in fact, put her in danger. Do they think we'll admire her hutzpah or something? Because she just seems foolish to me, not brave. It's not like she's a war zone reporter or trying to expose corruption or a criminal empire, thus putting herself in danger for worthy journalistic reasons. She's just blogging about a mysterious dude helping people! She's no Veronica Guerin. <br /><br />Then they started to make Eddie likable, just as they show Iris ditching his calls to make goo-goo eyes at the Flash. Geez. Don't make me <i>like</i> the boyfriend she's going to dump for the hero, if you want me to find her a sympathetic character!Jess Lyndehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14165015932507376656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-29710524324610137422014-11-21T15:59:17.411-05:002014-11-21T15:59:17.411-05:00For the most part I loved this episode. The stuff ...For the most part I loved this episode. The stuff with the villain was fun, and Barry breaking the sound barrier was excellent. I really like how they've handled Eddie lately. As a romantic rival of Barry's it would've been real easy to make him a jerk, but he's not. He's good at his job, he doesn't mistreat Iris, and he's also cool towards Barry. I loved the scenes where he's teaching Barry to fight. There was an ease between them, I hope we get more Barry/Eddie scenes in the future. I'll be interested to see if Eddie pursues what he saw, and how he'll react to it. <br /><br />The stuff with Joe & Dr. Wells was very good too. We know that there's something sinister going on with Wells, he has knowledge he shouldn't and he's willing to kill to keep things secret, but you can't pin him down as "evil" either.<br /><br />But Iris, man I want to slap that girl. She was warn by Barry both in and out of costume that her writing about "the Streak" could put her in danger, and she brushes it off. Then what happens? She winds up in danger from someone who wants to get to Barry through her. And she's STILL brushing it off. I get that she sees a higher purpose in what she's doing(her talk about the guy who's on fire? I like how they've been slowly laying the groundwork on his eventual appearance), but she could at least be a little less cavalier about it. Iris isn't as bad as Lana was on Smallville, but they need to seriously work on her character. As much as Barry's hopelessly in love with her, I have no real desire to see the two of them together. Barry & Caitlin on the other hand, I would have no problem with them exploring, provided they don't rush it. :)<br /><br />LOVED the ending with the re-appearance of the Man In Yellow(Reverse-Flash, Zoom, whoever he turns out to be). I did not see that coming, not this early in the season. A part of me worries how they're going to sustain things, but considering these are the same people in charge of Arrow, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. :)Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03943327351499919454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-21050388182268486452014-11-21T15:17:36.012-05:002014-11-21T15:17:36.012-05:00She also reminds me strongly of Chloe from Smallvi...She also reminds me strongly of Chloe from Smallville. And not just because of the reporting... the hairstyle seems really similar, too!<br /><br />http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/Chloe-Sullivan-smallville-39379_1280_1024.jpgJoseph Santinihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12071399988905955133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-82171984980346066522014-11-21T14:59:17.373-05:002014-11-21T14:59:17.373-05:00Much agreement with your review. The standoff betw...Much agreement with your review. The standoff between Martin and Cavanagh was fascinating because the actors did such a terrific job of portraying that there was a lot going on in their heads that they weren't saying. But Iris is such a poor Lois Lane imitation. I mean, did they have to replicate the <i>Superman</i> movie scene on the rooftop? There was even talk of her favorite color and I was expecting "pink". Billie Douxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17141769005175631213noreply@blogger.com